Review: ‘O’ gauge ‘Crompton’
Heljan releases more classic traction in ‘O’ gauge in the form of 10 versions of the ever-popular Class 33/0, spanning its life from1962 to the present day. The late condition model, post 1992, is the subject of this review.
Heljan’s powerful Class 33/0 in the form of EWS No. 33030 is tried and tested.
CLASS 33s remain part of the railway scene today with three members of the class in service with West Coast Railways, including two Class 33/0s.
Built between 1960 and 1961, the then standard Class 33 was numbered as D6500-D6585. Conversion for push-pull working created the Class 33/1 sub-class leaving 65 Class 33/0s, the type embodied by the V.2/3 of the Heljan ‘O’ gauge model.
Spanning the life of the class from introduction to the current scene requires certain detail differences to be incorporated in the model, including high intensity headlights (square frame) and roof aerials for those models representing locomotives working after 1992-93. It is in this condition that the reviewmodel, EWS No. 33030, is modelled and can be regarded as a late condition locomotive.
Application of EWS livery further ties this model down to the August 1998 to 2001 time-frame during which it spent most of its time in Scotland prior to withdrawal from EWS service.
The full-size No. 33030 was released to traffic in April 1961 as
No. D6548 and lead a largely uneventful life, being swapped between Stewarts Lane and Eastleigh depots several times until first being withdrawn in 1998. The locomotive was repainted in EWS livery in time for the August 1998 Toton open day before being stored for a time.
It’s most notable period of operation came after transfer to Motherwell depot in 1999 alongside
No. 33025 to work in Scotland, particularly freight traffic in the Aberdeen area.
It disgraced itself by catching fire near Huntley when working a freight train in 2001. Withdrawal soon followed, alongside No. 33025, which was unserviceable at the time.
Latterly, No. 33030 was overhauled and reinstated for DRS until its sale to West Coast Railways as a source of spares. It was painted in early DRS
livery, a livery which is available in the new batch of 10 models from Heljan.
Plastic on heavy metal
An injection-moulded bodyshell is mounted on a die-cast metal chassis with two motors and flywheels, the usual arrangement for Heljan ‘O’ gauge bogie locomotives. The result is a heavyweight model that weighs a hefty 2.6kg on four axles, producing a remarkably powerful model for its size.
Clearly, traction will not be a problem for such a combination of five-pole motors and weight, although this will impact on the choice of decoder, which must be capable of the current draw when this model makes a standing start with a heavy train.
The bodyshell has the curves and lines of the Class 33/0, with some good moulding of the shoulder grilles. The curves around the cab fronts
and the cab roof dome look good and very importantly, the cab and engine room window frames are moulded as a part of the body and not on the glazing inserts. Door lines are subtle and the roof detail is neatly finished with the revised engine roof panel catches that replaced the numerous screws once used to fix it in place. The revised exhaust arrangement is also correctly modelled for a mid to late-life locomotive, with the recess for the original exhaust silencer plated over.
Underframe and bogies
Battery boxes and fuel tank detail is fitted to the model in the same manner as the full-size locomotives, attached to the underframe with space between the frames and the top of the detail. Fuel gauge and filler pipe detail is present on the tank alongside battery connections on the battery box, which has securing catches moulded on it.
The digital sound speaker bay is located in the fuel tank, which has a grille moulded in the underside.
Bogies are also injection-moulded and fitted out with additional parts, such as speedometer drive cable, foot steps and brake cylinders. The ends of the frame are correctly shaped and the sideframes are quite hefty with the secondary springs correctly recessed.
The moulded detail is well shaped, including suspension springs, axle box covers and sand boxes. Little of the brake shoes and rigging is represented and it is not aligned with the wheel tyres.
Added details
In common with other Heljan ‘O’ gauge diesel locomotives reviewed in Rail Express Modeller, the Class 33/0 is adorned with numerous small fittings and details. Sprung buffers and intricate bufferbeam details are neatly applied, including multiple working cable receptacles, ETH jumper cables, air and vacuum hoses. Footsteps above the buffers are fitted too and the detailing is completed with a working screw shackle coupling with fine screw thread and tommy bar. The coupling hook is sprung and swivels correctly in the bufferbeam.
On the body is located an etched cooling fan grille, etched radiator grilles at the No.2 end, cab roof radio aerial pods and an exhaust grille. Hand rails are composed of plastic and neatly fitted, especially the ones that wrap around the front of the cabs. Flush glazing is clear and, in the main, neatly fitted, although some of the cab windscreens are not fully seated. The headcode blind detail is fitted close behind the middle cab windscreens, which is prototypical and effective, with white blinds showing at the No.2 end.
Drive and electronics
As is standard on Heljan bogie locomotives, a five-pole motor and brass flywheel is mounted on top of each bogie and testing showed that the motors and gear trains are well-matched and deliver a high level of torque and, consequently, haulage power. Tests further demonstrated, that despite having only four powered axles against the Class 50’s six axles, the Heljan Crompton could perform almost as well. Putting one of these models on an eight-coach Salisbury to Waterloo style train is not going to tax it too much – it will hold its own with Heljan Class 50s.
Electrics
Four retaining screws partly concealed behind the bogies secure the body to the chassis. The circuitboard with screw terminals interface for a decoder is located on the top with plenty of room for a large scale decoder. As supplied, the model runs on 12v analogue control,
but will require a fairly hefty controller to meet the likely current draw of the twin motor arrangement. DCC users should consider an ESU LokPilot V5 XL or Loksound V5 XL if they desire digital sound to meet the current demand of the twin motor arrangement.
All-wheel current collection through sprung wire pick-ups is fitted. The wires are sprung against grooved bosses behind the driving wheels for effective power collection. The electronics include a working cooling fan, headcode box illumination, tail-lights and the square-framed headlights.
Livery and finish
Heljan has replicated the shade of EWS maroon very well with a rich colour being applied to the model. The printed details are neatly applied, including the EWS gold band and the lettering inset in the gold band. The warning panel yellow is of a pleasing shade and well applied as a thin coat, but with a good degree of opacity.
Grey is applied to the main engine room roof panel while dull silver colours the hand-rails and plates below the cab doors. Particular attention has been applied to colouring the bufferbeam details which are neatly finished in the correct colours. An overall low sheen is apparent on the model over all of the livery colours and the underframe too. Internally, the cabs are detailed complete with the rear dividers and bulkheads, which are correctly painted and with control desk features picked out neatly.
Heljan has created an affordable
‘O’ gauge model designed to run on proprietary 32mm gauge track for an affordable price which is well-finished and looks like a Crompton. Don’t let its small size fool you – it can pull!